Pine Forest's Williams-Gould commits to Alabama State, going with added motivation
For Autaliah Williams-Gould, some would say committing to a Division I athletic program was just a matter of time.
Originally from the state of Washington, the now-track star was a 20-touchdown scorer for a boys football team back home. When she arrived in Pensacola and became a member of Paul Bryan's Pine Forest track and field team, she went to state as a freshman for three different events.
There was no hiding her athletic versatility.
Now on Friday afternoon from Pine Forest High School, Williams-Gould made good on her abundance of talent. The multi-event track and field performer pledged her next four years to the Alabama State University track and field team.
She's looking forward to representing her African-American heritage at a Historically Black College and University, something she has long desired.
"My mind was indecisive for a while. My main goal was to go to an HBCU. Which one? Wasn't really in mind," Williams-Gould said. "When I had heard about the fact that it (Alabama State) was an HBCU, I was very excited. I didn't really know how the school was overall, but when I went to visit, I was very interested."
The indecisiveness was not just about which HBCU she wanted to attend, but whether she wanted to run track in college at all. Though she held numerous offers from schools all over, Williams-Gould was set on just staying close to home and pursuing a nursing degree.
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Fall all-area teams: 2021 PNJ Fall All-Area: Standouts for volleyball, golf, cross country and swimming
But this fall, she changed her mind, and Pine Forest started the recruitment process all over. It ended with Williams-Gould signing to be a Hornet, and two specific people would be proud that she did.
Her uncle, Charles Sexton, and her sister, Enfinnity Hayes-Lawson.
Both deceased, they've played monumental roles in her continued development. Sexton passed away on March 16, 2018 and Hayes passed on Oct. 3, 2021. With both tragedies happening during her high school career, Williams-Gould has been motivated to do right by them.
When asked if her choice to run in college was fulfilling that standard, her answer was strong, and simple.
"Yes."
Though they are gone, their presence can still be felt. Williams-Gould says that she could feel both of them telling her to run in college, and so she reconsidered. Lifelong supporters of the Pine Forest standout, they are certainly looking down in admiration.
Following a storied high school career that included district champion honors and state championship appearances every season, Williams-Gould is off to the next stage.
Words from the coach
Bryan has had a storied career, especially when you consider his time as head coach of the Eagles.
Taking over the program in 2008, Pine Forest has won the district championship every year except for once: this year, 2021. Coming off of a missed 2020 campaign due to COVID, the team had lost seniors and brought in freshmen who needed to become quickly acquainted with the high school ranks.
In large part due to this mix-up, they finished in second place. Needless to say, when Bryan talks fondly of you, you're a winner. And he had lots to say about Williams-Gould.
"The people who were ahead of her, just a year or so, there were some real good, fast kids here," Bryan said. "They say iron sharpens iron, and knowing the kind of athlete she is, it really pushed her because she's a competitor, even at practice."
And even in the weight room.
"She's a machine, as far as weightlifting and stuff. We really knew when we had her in the weight room," Bryan said. "What she could hang-clean, she was going to be special."
With her gifted abilities, all Bryan had to do was tinker with her mechanics. Along with help some from assistant coach Paul Lawrence, they helped Williams-Gould become a star.
"She was doing everything on her own ability, but we just had to break her mechanics down," Bryan said. "It was just getting her to go in a straight line and ear-to-pocket mechanics and stuff.
"She started realizing, 'I'm not using as much effort but I'm running faster.'"
Looking at the accolades
Here is an in-depth look at all that Williams-Gould has achieved in her four years with Pine Forest:
2018-Freshman Year
All-District, All-Region in the 100M, 200M and long jump
State: 9th in long jump, 19th in 200M, 20th in 100M
District, Regional champion in 4x100, 2nd in state/school record
2019-Sophomore Year
District champion in 100M, 200M and 4x100
All-Region in 100M, 200M and long jump
Regional champion in 4x100
State: 6th in 100M, 9th in 200M, 20th in long jump, 3rd in 4x100/New school record
2020-Covid Year
2021-Senior Year
District champion in 100M, long jump and 4x100
Regional champion in 4x100
All-Region in 100M
State: 13th in 100M, 5th in 4x100
Lucas Semb can be reached at Lsemb@pensacol.gannett.com or 850-281-7414. Follow him on Twitter at @Lucas_Semb for stories and various Pensacola area score updates.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pine Forest's Autaliah Williams-Gould to soon become an ASU Hornet
